Information processing system for updating function settings in a first printer with function setting data received from a second printer

ABSTRACT

An information processing system includes a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus that use setting information. The first information processing apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits information including at least function identification information and user identification information to the second information processing apparatus, the function identification information identifying a function for which first setting information is used, and the user identification information identifying a user associated with the function identification information. The second information processing apparatus includes a request unit that makes a request for the first setting information to the first information processing apparatus in a case where second setting information is stored in the second information processing apparatus; and an update unit that updates the second setting information in accordance with the first setting information that has been transmitted from the first information processing apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2015-096474 filed May 11, 2015.

BACKGROUND

(i) Technical Field

The present invention relates to an information processing system, aninformation processing apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readablemedium.

(ii) Related Art

There is a technique that allows individual users to make a desiredsetting when the users use a function installed in an informationprocessing apparatus, such as a multifunction peripheral. In thistechnique, in a case where there are plural apparatuses having a commonfunction, pieces of setting information for individual users stored inthe individual apparatuses are used. With regard to this, aconfiguration without a server for managing setting information isdemanded in view of the maintenance and management of a server.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided aninformation processing system including a first information processingapparatus and a second information processing apparatus that use settinginformation. The setting information is information that is stored foreach user and that designates a condition for executing a function. Thefirst information processing apparatus includes a transmission unit thattransmits information including at least function identificationinformation and user identification information to the secondinformation processing apparatus, the function identificationinformation identifying a function for which first setting information,which is the setting information stored in the first informationprocessing apparatus, is used, and the user identification informationidentifying a user associated with the function identificationinformation. The second information processing apparatus includes arequest unit that makes a request for the first setting information tothe first information processing apparatus in a case where secondsetting information is stored in the second information processingapparatus, the second setting information corresponding to the useridentification information and being setting information for a functionthat is identified by function identification information; and an updateunit that updates the second setting information in accordance with thefirst setting information that has been transmitted from the firstinformation processing apparatus in response to the request made by therequest unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of an imageprocessing system;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of an imageprocessing apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an overview of the softwareconfiguration of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the details of the softwareconfiguration of the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the detailed configuration of modulesof the image processing system;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating examples of a UI screen thatis displayed;

FIGS. 7A to 7D are diagrams illustrating examples of information storedin a memory;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a license managementtable;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting information thatis transmitted;

FIGS. 10A to 10D are diagrams illustrating an example of a determineddisplay target and display order;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an outline of anoperation procedure to update setting information;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the details of theoperation procedure to update setting information;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of an operation procedurein determination processing and update processing;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the details of anoperation procedure according to a modification example;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of the details of anoperation procedure according to a modification example;

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedureof a second information processing apparatus according to a modificationexample; and

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating an example of the details of anoperation procedure according to a modification example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 1. Exemplary Embodiment

FIG. 1 illustrates the overall configuration of an image processingsystem 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.The image processing system 1 provides users with various functionsrelated to image formation on a recording medium such as a sheet andimage reading from a recording medium, for example, a copy function, afacsimile (FAX) function, and a print function, and a function providedby an additional application. The image processing system 1 includes acommunication line 2, image processing apparatuses 10A, 10B, and 10C(referred to as “image processing apparatuses 10” when not distinguishedfrom one another), a license server 3, and a user apparatus 4. Thecommunication line 2 is a system that mediates data communicationbetween apparatuses connected to the communication line 2, and is, forexample, a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN).

Each of the image processing apparatuses 10 is an example of aninformation processing apparatus, includes a unit that forms an image ona recording medium, and provides a user with the above-described variousfunctions. The image processing apparatus 10 stores programs forimplementing these functions. The programs include a program that isinstalled in advance before shipment, such as firmware, and anadditional application that is installed after shipment. The firmwareincludes, for example, a general-purpose operating system (OS) and acontroller (a program for controlling a target). The additionalapplication is software such as a program that is additionally installedafter shipment of the information processing apparatus. Examples of theadditional application include a so-called plug-in and add-on. With anadditional application, a function related to image processing, such asa function of performing recognition or optical character recognition(OCR) on a specific form or a function of transferring a documentscanned by an image processing apparatus to a server over a cloudnetwork, may be added or extended, and other functions may be added orextended. The plug-in according to the exemplary embodiment is anexample of the above-described additional application.

A license to use a plug-in is granted when a licenser (the company thathas developed the plug-in) issues the license. The license server 3 isan apparatus that determines whether or not a license is granted for aplug-in installed in an image processing apparatus 10, that is, anapparatus that manages a license. The user apparatus 4 is an apparatusused by a user, for example, a personal computer, a tablet terminal, asmartphone, or the like. The user apparatus 4 is used as a userinterface (UI) for remotely operating an image processing apparatus 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates the hardware configuration of the image processingapparatus 10. The image processing apparatus 10 is a computer thatincludes a central processing unit (CPU) 11, a random access memory(RAM) 12, a read only memory (ROM) 13, a hard disk drive (HDD) 14, acommunication interface (IF) 15, an operation panel 16, a scanner 17, aprinter 18, and a facsimile 19. The CPU 11 executes programs stored inthe ROM 13 and the HDD 14, and controls the operations of the individualdevices by using the RAM 12 as a working area. The HDD 14 stores variousprograms and data. The communication IF 15 functions as an interface fordata communication that is performed through the communication line 2.

The operation panel 16 includes a display that displays various messagesand images and an operator for operating the image processing apparatus10 (including a touch screen provided on the display). The scanner 17reads an image formed on a recording medium, such as a sheet. Forexample, the scanner 17 optically reads an image on a recording medium.The printer 18 forms an image on a recording medium. Specifically, theprinter 18 forms an image on a recording medium by using toners of fourcolors including yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) and anelectrophotographic system. The facsimile 19 includes a FAX modem or thelike and performs facsimile communication in accordance with a facsimileprotocol.

FIG. 3 illustrates an overview of the software configuration of theimage processing apparatus 10. The image processing apparatus 10includes a general-purpose OS 210, a controller 220, an image processingservice 230, and a plug-in 240. The general-purpose OS 210 is anoperating system in the image processing apparatus 10 and controlshardware devices such as the HDD 14, the communication IF 15, and theoperation panel 16. The controller 220 controls the image processingservice 230 and the plug-in 240. The image processing service 230provides services involving image processing, such as a scan service anda print service. The plug-in 240 is the above-described additionalapplication and adds or extends a function related to image processing.

FIG. 4 illustrates the details of the software configuration of theimage processing apparatus 10. In the general-purpose OS 210, drivers214, 215, 216, 217, 218, and 219 that respectively correspond tohardware devices including the HDD 14, the communication IF 15, theoperation panel 16, the scanner 17, the printer 18, and the facsimile 19are installed. These individual hardware devices are connected by thecorresponding drivers.

A system controller 22 operates on the general-purpose OS 210 andcontrols various tasks including various controllers such as a jobcontroller 23 and various services such as a scan service 231. The jobcontroller 23 controls jobs of the scan service 231, a print service232, a copy service 233, and a fax service 234 requested from a networkcontroller 24 and a UI controller 25. The network controller 24 controlsacceptance of a job request from the communication IF 15, reception ofjob data, reception of a plug-in, and transmission/reception of settinginformation.

The UI controller 25 controls display of a UI screen on the operationpanel 16 or the user apparatus 4 and acceptance of a user operationincluding input using a key. The UI screen is a screen that displays animage representing an operator used by a user to operate the imageprocessing apparatus 10, an image representing information provided bythe image processing apparatus 10 to the user, and so forth. A securitycontroller 26 controls functions related to authentication andencryption of communication.

A plug-in controller 27 adds and deletes a plug-in, controls executionof a plug-in, controls setting information, and manages a license. Here,the setting information is information that designates a condition forexecuting processing when a function of an information processingapparatus is executed, for example, information that designates acondition for executing a function of a plug-in (additional application)used in the image processing apparatus 10. In the exemplary embodiment,setting information is stored for each user. For example, in a casewhere the scan service 231 is used, the path of a storage area, a filename, the format of an output file, and so forth are stored as settinginformation. In the exemplary embodiment, the plug-in controller 27performs the above-described processing for a plug-in (transfer a scanfile) and a plug-in (print from a cloud server).

FIG. 5 illustrates the detailed configuration of modules of the imageprocessing system 1. The modules are software elements for implementingthe individual functions of the image processing system 1. The userapparatus 4 includes a remote UI unit 401. The image processingapparatus 10 includes a remote UI connection unit 101, an authenticationunit 102, a plug-in display/selection unit 103, a plug-in execution unit104, a plug-in management unit 105, a setting information obtaining unit106, a setting information transmission/reception unit 107, an updatenotification unit 108, a license determination unit 109, a local UI unit301, a memory 302, and a communication unit 303.

Each of the local UI unit 301 and the remote UI unit 401 displays a UIscreen and accepts a user operation. The local UI unit 301 isimplemented by the operation panel 16 in the exemplary embodiment and isused by a user who is at an installation place of the image processingapparatus 10 (a local place). The remote UI unit 401 is implemented bythe user apparatus 4 in the exemplary embodiment and is used by a userwho is at a place distant from the image processing apparatus 10 (aremote place). The remote UI connection unit 101 is a module included inthe UI controller 25 and is connected to the remote UI unit 401 throughthe communication line 2. The remote UI connection unit 101 causes theremote UI unit 401 connected thereto to display a UI screen, andreceives operation data representing a user operation accepted by theremote UI unit 401 and supplies the operation data to the imageprocessing apparatus 10.

The authentication unit 102 is a module included in the securitycontroller 26. For example, the authentication unit 102 performs userauthentication on the basis of a user ID and a password that have beeninput from the local UI unit 301 or the remote UI unit 401 operated by auser. In the exemplary embodiment, the authentication unit 102 performsuser authentication by communicating with an external authenticationserver. The authentication unit 102 causes the memory 302 to store auser ID of a user for which user authentication is performed for thefirst time as user identification information for identifying the user.The local UI unit 301, the remote UI unit 401, the remote UI connectionunit 101, and the authentication unit 102 may be constituted by a UIunit as a single module.

The memory 302 stores the above-described setting information(information that is set for each user in relation to a function used inthe image processing apparatus 10), function identification informationfor identifying the function to which the setting information isrelated, and a plug-in which is a function program thereof, as well asthe user identification information stored by the authentication unit102.

The plug-in display/selection unit 103 causes the local UI unit 301 orthe remote UI unit 401 to display a UI screen that is used to operate afunction implemented by each plug-in, and accepts a selection operationperformed by a user on the basis of the UI screen. The plug-indisplay/selection unit 103 is an example of a display controlleraccording to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Theplug-in execution unit 104 executes a plug-in on the basis of a userselection performed in accordance with an operation accepted by theplug-in display/selection unit 103. The plug-in execution unit 104executes the plug-in in this manner and thereby executes the functionimplemented by the plug-in. The plug-in execution unit 104 is an exampleof an execution unit according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

The plug-in management unit 105 manages setting information stored inthe memory 302 and a license state of a plug-in that has been installedin the image processing apparatus 10. The plug-in management unit 105may manage setting information, or each plug-in stored in the memory 302may hold its setting information. In a case where the plug-in managementunit 105 manages setting information, the plug-in management unit 105stores, in the memory 302, the setting information and a user ID of theuser for which the setting information is set in association with eachother. On the other hand, in a case where each plug-in holds its settinginformation, the plug-in management unit 105 instructs the plug-inexecution unit 104 to update the setting information, and each plug-inupdates the setting information in response to the instruction. Theplug-in management unit 105 is an example of an update unit according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In the exemplary embodiment, a license of a plug-in is granted for eachuser and each image processing apparatus. Thus, for example, user A hasa license of a plug-in (transfer a scan file) in the image processingapparatus 10A, but does not have a license of a plug-in (transfer a scanfile) in the image processing apparatus 10B. The plug-in management unit105 causes the memory 302 to store a plug-in ID assigned to a plug-inand a user ID of a user having a license of the plug-in in associationwith each other, and thereby manages a license state.

The setting information obtaining unit 106 obtains setting informationfrom another image processing apparatus 10 via the communication unit303. The setting information obtaining unit 106 and the communicationunit 303 may be constituted by a request unit as a single module. Uponreceiving a request for setting information from another imageprocessing apparatus 10 via the communication unit 303, the settinginformation transmission/reception unit 107 transmits the settinginformation to the request source via the communication unit 303. Theupdate notification unit 108 notifies, via the communication unit 303,another image processing apparatus 10 that the setting informationstored in the image processing apparatus 10 has been updated. Thesetting information transmission/reception unit 107, the updatenotification unit 108, and the communication unit 303 may be constitutedby a transmission unit as a single module. The license determinationunit 109 determines a plug-in that is licensed to a user by making aninquiry of the license server 3 via the communication unit 303. Thelicense determination unit 109 and the communication unit 303 may beconstituted by a determination unit as a single module.

Each of the local UI unit 301 and the remote UI unit 401 displays a UIscreen and accepts a user operation. In the exemplary embodiment, theimage processing apparatus 10 is used by a user who has logged thereinby inputting a user ID and a password. The login may be performed foreach function, not for each apparatus. In this case, each function isused by a user who has logged in by inputting a user ID and a passwordon the corresponding login screen. The authentication unit 102authenticates the user in the login. After the user has beenauthenticated, one of the local UI unit 301 and the remote UI unit 401that is operated by the user (hereinafter referred to as a “UI unit inoperation”) displays a UI screen and accepts a user operation.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate examples of a UI screen that is displayed.FIG. 6A illustrates a UI screen B1 that is displayed when a scanfunction is provided. On the UI screen B1, operator images C1, C2, C3,and C4 and selection candidate images D1, D2, and D3 are displayed. Whenthe operator image C1 including a character string “return” is operated,the UI unit in operation displays the preceding screen. When theoperator image C2 including a character string “close” is operated, theUI unit in operation displays, for example, a menu screen. When theoperator image C3 including a character string “logout”, the UI unit inoperation displays a post-logout screen.

The UI unit in operation displays the selection candidate images D1, D2,and D3 as candidates of setting information to be used in the scanfunction. The selection candidate image D1 represents a path name of apredetermined storage area (in FIG. 6A, “Fuji Taro's drawer>Productassigned>ApeosWare”), an image indicating that a file name is“automatically set”, and a display field D11 for displaying a file name(in FIG. 6A, “purchase of management software.pdf”). In a case where afile name is automatically set, the UI unit in operation automaticallygenerates a file name different from file names stored in the storagearea and displays the generated file name in the display field D11. Thestorage area and the file name are displayed as a candidate of settinginformation. The user may cancel the automatic setting and may manuallyinput a file name into the display field D11. In this case, the inputfile name is displayed as a candidate of setting information.

The selection candidate image D2 represents, as candidates of settinginformation, the format of an output file “pdf”, a color mode “fullcolor”, and so forth. Upon a pulldown button D21 being operated, the UIunit in operation displays a list of candidates of setting information.Upon any of the candidates being selected from the list by the user, theUI unit in operation displays the selection candidate image D2 includingthe selected candidate. For example, if the user selects “gif” from thelist of candidates of the format of an output file, “gif” is displayedon the UI screen B1 as a candidate of setting information, instead of“pdf”.

The selection candidate image D3 represents candidates of settinginformation indicating whether or not each of the functions “removeground color”, “prevent show-through”, and “press with high pressure” isto be used. When a check box D31 corresponding to each function ischecked, it indicates that the function is to be used. When the checkbox D31 is not checked, it indicates that the function is not to beused. In the example illustrated in FIG. 6A, it is indicated, ascandidates of setting information, that the function “remove groundcolor” is to be used and the two other functions are not to be used.Upon the operator image C4 including a character sting “start scan”being operated, the UI unit in operation notifies the plug-in executionunit 104 of the candidate of setting information selected at the timeand that an instruction to perform scan processing using the settinginformation has been provided.

FIG. 6B illustrates a UI screen B2 that is displayed when the FAXfunction is provided. The UI screen B2 includes an operator image C5 anda selection candidate image D4. The selection candidate image D4represents, as candidates of setting information, a user's email addressregistered in advance by the user and a FAX number of a businessacquaintance. When a check box D41 corresponding to each candidate ischecked, it indicates that FAX processing using the address is to beperformed. When the check box D41 is not checked, it indicates that FAXprocessing using the address is not to be performed. Upon the operatorimage C5 including a character string “start FAX” being operated, the UIunit in operation notifies the plug-in execution unit 104 of the addressselected at the time (a candidate of setting information in thisexample) and that an instruction to perform FAX processing using theaddress has been provided.

The plug-in execution unit 104 executes a plug-in and thereby executesthe function implemented by the plug-in and performs processing relatedto the function. In the processing related to the function, the settinginformation related to the function is used. The plug-in execution unit104 performs processing by using a candidate selected by the user fromamong the candidates of setting information displayed by the UI unit inoperation. For example, upon the operator image C4 being selected in thestate illustrated in FIG. 6A, the plug-in execution unit 104 performsreading processing of reading an image from a recording medium by usingthe setting information indicating that the format of an output file ispdf, the color mode is full color, the document orientation is the left,the reading size is A4 landscape, the reading resolution is 200 dpi,double-sided document feed is double sided (vertical binding), and theground color is removed. The read image is stored in the storage arearepresented by the path name “Fuji Taro's drawer>Productassigned>ApeosWare” with the file name “purchase of managementsoftware.pdf”.

A candidate of setting information is no longer a candidate of settinginformation after being used in processing by the plug-in execution unit104, and becomes setting information used in the processing. Afterperforming the processing in the above-described manner, the plug-inexecution unit 104 supplies, to the memory 302, the setting informationused in the processing together with the plug-in ID assigned to theplug-in that implements the related function, the user ID input by theuser to log in, and a time stamp representing a current time, and storesthem in association with one another.

The time stamp is time information representing the time at whichsetting information is used. The plug-in ID identifies a plug-in andalso identifies the function implemented by the plug-in. That is, theplug-in ID is an example of the above-described function identificationinformation. The user ID is an example of user identificationinformation identifying a user. The memory 302 stores the plug-in ID asfunction identification information and the user ID as useridentification information.

The memory 302 stores the setting information, plug-in ID, user ID, andtime stamp supplied from the plug-in execution unit 104 in associationwith one another. The memory 302 also stores the plug-in correspondingto the stored plug-in ID, that is, the plug-in executed by the plug-inexecution unit 104. The memory 302 is implemented by, for example, theHDD 14.

FIGS. 7A to 7D illustrate examples of information stored in the memory302. In FIG. 7A, for example, a user ID “U001” of user A, settinginformation including a folder name in a storage area “approvaldocument” and a file name “purchase of management software”, and a timestamp “3/1/20xx 15:00” are associated with a plug-in ID “P001”, which isa plug-in ID of a plug-in that implements the function of transferring ascan file. Also, “U001”, “approval document”, “conclusion of maintenancecontract”, and “2/25/20xx 14:30”, and “U001”, “transportation cost”,“receipt of Fuji Hotel”, and “2/10/20xx 10:30” are associated with theplug-in ID “P001”. In this way, the memory 302 stores a history ofsetting information used in the function implemented by the plug-in(transfer a scan file). In this example, individual pieces of settinginformation are stored for different time stamps even if the user ID isthe same. Alternatively, setting information corresponding to an oldtime stamp may be overwritten with setting information corresponding toa new time stamp. In this case, only the latest setting information isstored as a history of setting information.

FIG. 7B illustrates an example of user IDs, setting information, andtime stamps that are stored in association with a plug-in ID “P002” of aplug-in that implements the function of print from a cloud server. Inthis example, information representing “color mode”, “number of copies(total)”, and so forth is associated as setting information. In thisway, the stored setting information varies according to a used function.Each function is implemented by a plug-in identified by a plug-in ID.Thus, the plug-in ID is also used as function identification informationidentifying a function implemented by an additional application. Thus,the memory 302 stores function identification information identifying afunction (in the example illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7D, a plug-in ID),user identification information identifying a user who uses the function(in the example illustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7D, a user ID), settinginformation for the function set for the user, and time informationrepresenting the time at which the setting is made (in the exampleillustrated in FIGS. 7A to 7D, a time stamp) in association with oneanother.

The setting information transmission/reception unit 107, the updatenotification unit 108, and the communication unit 303 transmit, toanother image processing apparatus 10, information including at leastfunction identification information identifying a function related tosetting information stored in the memory 302 and user identificationinformation identifying a user for which the setting information is set.For example, when a user finishes using a function of an imageprocessing apparatus 10, the setting information related to the functionis stored in the memory 302 of the apparatus as described above, andthus the update notification unit 108 of the apparatus transmitsfunction identification information identifying the function and useridentification information identifying the user to another imageprocessing apparatus 10.

In the exemplary embodiment, the update notification unit 108 multicastsa plug-in ID and a user ID associated with each other as functionidentification information and user identification information in thememory 302 to another image processing apparatus 10 in the samesub-network. For example, in a case where the apparatuses connected tothe communication line 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 are in the samesub-network, the update notification unit 108 of the image processingapparatus 10A transmits the plug-in ID and user ID to the imageprocessing apparatuses 10B and 10C, and the update notification unit 108of the image processing apparatus 10B transmits the plug-in ID and userID to the image processing apparatuses 10A and 10C.

When a screen for using a function is switched to another screen, theupdate notification unit 108 determines that the user has finished usingthe function. Specifically, when the user operates the operator image C2on the UI screen B1 illustrated in FIG. 6A to switch the screen to themenu screen or when the user operates the operator image C3 to switchthe screen to a post-logout screen, the update notification unit 108determines that the user has finished using the scan function. Aftermaking the determination, the update notification unit 108 refers to thememory 302 and transmits the user ID used for login and the plug-in IDassociated therewith to another image processing apparatus 10.

The update notification unit 108 transmits the above-describedinformation after the user has finished using the function of the imageprocessing apparatus 10 and the setting information used for thefunction has been stored in the memory 302. Therefore, by transmittingthe function identification information and user identificationinformation, the update notification unit 108 notifies another imageprocessing apparatus 10 that the setting information for the functionidentified by the function identification information, that is, thesetting information set for the user identified by the useridentification information, has been updated. After that, the settinginformation transmission/reception unit 107 transmits the settinginformation. Before describing this, the license determination unit 109and the setting information obtaining unit 106 will be described.

The license determination unit 109 makes an inquiry of the licenseserver 3 about whether or not a user is licensed to use a program. Forexample, when a user logs in an image processing apparatus 10, thelicense determination unit 109 of the apparatus determines whether ornot the user is licensed to use a plug-in stored in the apparatus. Also,when receiving a notification about update of setting information fromanother image processing apparatus 10, the license determination unit109 determines the plug-in corresponding to the setting information andwhether or not the user is licensed to use the plug-in in the apparatus.The license determination unit 109 transmits the function identificationinformation (plug-in ID) and user identification information (user ID)of a program for which whether a license has been granted is to bedetermined, to the license server 3 via the communication unit 303together with apparatus identification information identifying the imageprocessing apparatus 10. As the apparatus identification information, anapparatus ID assigned to the image processing apparatus 10 may be used.

In the exemplary embodiment, a license of a plug-in is granted for eachcombination of a user and an image processing apparatus. Thus, forexample, user A has a license of a plug-in (transfer a scan file) in theimage processing apparatus 10A but does not have a license of a plug-in(transfer a scan file) in the image processing apparatus 10B. Thelicense server 3 stores a license management table in which plug-in IDs,apparatus IDs, and user IDs are associated with one another.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the license management table. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 8, apparatus IDs “E01”, “E02”, and “E03” ofthe image processing apparatuses 10A, 10B, and 10C, and user IDs ofusers who are licensed to use the corresponding plug-ins in theindividual apparatuses are associated with the plug-in ID “P001” of theplug-in (transfer a scan file) and the plug-in ID “P002” of the plug-in(print from the cloud server) illustrated in FIG. 4. For example, theuser ID “U001” of user A is associated with a combination of “P001” and“E01” and a combination of “P002” and “E01”. Thus, user A is licensed touse both the plug-in (transfer a scan file) and the plug-in (print fromthe cloud server) in the image processing apparatus 10A. On the otherhand, the user ID “U001” is not associated with a combination of “P001”and “E02” and a combination of “P002” and “E02”. Thus, user A is notlicensed to use the plug-in (transfer a scan file) and the plug-in(print from the cloud server) in the image processing apparatus 10B.

When the license server 3 receives a plug-in ID, an apparatus ID, and auser ID from an image processing apparatus 10, the license server 3notifies the transmission source that a license to use the plug-in hasbeen granted if these IDs are associated with one another in the licensemanagement table, and notifies the transmission source that a license touse the plug-in has not been granted if these IDs are not associatedwith one another. On the basis of this notification, the licensedetermination unit 109 determines whether or not the license has beengranted. For example, when a user logs in an image processing apparatus10, the license determination unit 109 of the apparatus determineswhether or not the user is licensed to use a plug-in installed in theapparatus. If the license determination unit 109 determines that alicense has been granted in the case of receiving a notification aboutupdate of setting information from another apparatus, the licensedetermination unit 109 notifies the setting information obtaining unit106 of that fact.

In a case where the license determination unit 109 of an imageprocessing apparatus 10 determines that a user is licensed to use, inthe apparatus, a program for implementing a function identified byfunction identification information obtained from another imageprocessing apparatus 10, the setting information obtaining unit 106makes the following request to the other image processing apparatus 10via the communication unit 303. In a case where the program that hasbeen determined to be licensed and setting information related to thefunction implemented by the program are stored in the memory 302 of theapparatus, the setting information obtaining unit 106 requests theapparatus as a transmission source (the other apparatus) for the settinginformation corresponding to the function identification information anduser identification information obtained when the determination is made.

The setting information corresponding to the identification information(function identification information and user identificationinformation) transmitted from the other apparatus is setting informationfor the function identified by the function identification informationand setting information set for the user identified by the useridentification information. Hereinafter, the image processing apparatus10 as a transmission source of the identification information (anotherapparatus) is referred to as a “first information processing apparatus”,the memory 302 of the apparatus is referred to as a “first memory”, andthe setting information stored in the first memory is referred to as“first setting information” if necessary. On the other hand, the imageprocessing apparatus 10 that requests the first setting information isreferred to as a “second information processing apparatus”, the memory302 of the apparatus is referred to as a “second memory”, and thesetting information stored in the second memory is referred to as“second setting information”.

The setting information associated with a plug-in ID and a user ID inthe memory 302 is referred to as setting information corresponding tothese pieces of identification information (function identificationinformation and user identification information). That is, when thesetting information obtaining unit 106 receives a plug-in ID and a userID from a first information processing apparatus, in a case where theplug-in identified by the plug-in ID and second setting informationcorresponding to the pieces of identification information are stored inthe second memory, the setting information obtaining unit 106 requeststhe first information processing apparatus for the setting informationcorresponding to the pieces of identification information (first settinginformation in the first information processing apparatus).

For example, it is assumed that the image processing apparatus 10Breceives a plug-in ID of a plug-in (transfer a scan file) and a user IDof user B from the image processing apparatus 10A. In this case, if thelicense table illustrated in FIG. 8 is stored in the license server 3,it is determined by the license determination unit 109 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10B that user B is licensed to use the plug-in(transfer a scan file) in the image processing apparatus 10B. Then, thesetting information obtaining unit 106 of the image processing apparatus10B determines that the plug-in (transfer a scan file) and the settinginformation corresponding to the transmitted information (correspondingto second setting information) are stored if the plug-in ID of theplug-in (transfer a scan file) and the user ID of user B are stored inthe memory 302 of the image processing apparatus 10B, and requests theimage processing apparatus 10A as the transmission source for thesetting information corresponding to the function identificationinformation and user identification information transmitted from thefirst information processing apparatus (corresponding to first settinginformation).

After the setting information transmission/reception unit 107 hastransmitted function identification information and user identificationinformation to another image processing apparatus 10 in theabove-described manner, when receiving a request for setting informationcorresponding to the function identification information and useridentification information (corresponding to first setting information)from the other image processing apparatus 10 as the transmissiondestination, the setting information transmission/reception unit 107transmits the setting information to the other image processingapparatus 10 as the request source via the communication unit 303. Inthe above-described example, the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 of the image processing apparatus 10Areceives a request for setting information corresponding to the plug-inID of the plug-in (transfer a scan file) and the user ID of user B fromthe setting information obtaining unit 106 of the image processingapparatus 10B, and thus the setting information transmission/receptionunit 107 of the image processing apparatus 10A transmits the settinginformation to the image processing apparatus 10B.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of setting information that istransmitted. The setting information transmission/reception unit 107transmits setting information data including setting information via thecommunication unit 303, and thereby transmits the setting information.The header of the setting information data includes a plug-in ID, a userID, the date and time of the last update, and a plug-in version. Thedate and time of the last update is the latest time stamp among timestamps associated with the setting information in the memory 302. Thatis, the date and time of the last update is the date and time when thesetting information was last updated. The setting information includesinput information, selection frequency information, last selectioninformation, and registered information.

The input information is setting information represented by charactersand numerals input by a user, such as a file name and a FAX number. Theselection frequency information is information representing thefrequency at which each candidate is selected in a case where any one ofplural candidates of setting information is selected and used. The lastselection information is information representing the last selectedcandidate. The registered information is information registered by auser as a candidate of setting information. The registered informationmay include, for example, a FAX number of a transmission destination andan email address.

When the plug-in management unit 105 of an image processing apparatus 10receives setting information from the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 of another image processing apparatus 10(setting information corresponding to the first setting information),the plug-in management unit 105 updates the setting information storedin the memory 302 of the apparatus (setting information corresponding tothe second setting information) in accordance with the received settinginformation. The plug-in management unit 105 may overwrite the storedsecond setting information with the first setting information or mayreflect the difference between the first setting information and thesecond setting information in the second setting information.

In the exemplary embodiment, the plug-in management unit 105 has afunction of controlling write of setting information in the memory 302and updates setting information by using the function. In this case, thesetting information is updated regardless of the state of processingrelated to the function (the state of processing of the plug-inexecution unit 104). The plug-in management unit 105 does notnecessarily have this function. For example, the plug-in execution unit104 may have this function. In this case, the plug-in management unit105 updates the setting information by requesting the plug-in executionunit 104. After the plug-in management unit 105 updates the secondsetting information in accordance with the first setting information,the plug-in management unit 105 notifies the plug-in display/selectionunit 103 of that fact. In this case, the load of writing in the memory302 is not imposed on the plug-in management unit 105.

The plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines, on the basis of thesetting information updated by the plug-in management unit 105 andstored in the second memory, when the function related to the settinginformation is used by a user for which the setting information is set,at least one of a display target among candidates of the settinginformation used in the function and an arrangement order in which thecandidates are displayed. In the exemplary embodiment, the plug-indisplay/selection unit 103 determines both the display target and thearrangement order. The plug-in display/selection unit 103 displays thedetermined display target in the determined arrangement order on the UIunit in operation. Accordingly, candidates of the setting informationare displayed in a display method corresponding to the settinginformation that has previously been used. A method for determining adisplay target and an arrangement order will be described below withreference to FIGS. 10A to 10D.

FIGS. 10A to 10D illustrate an example of a display target and a displayorder that have been determined. FIG. 10A illustrates an example ofsetting information that is stored after being updated. In this example,setting information (file names, reading resolutions, and so forth) andtime stamps t31 to t36 (t31 represents the latest date and time and t36represents the oldest date and time) associated with the plug-in ID of aplug-in (transfer a scan file) and the user ID of user A areillustrated. In the exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the readingresolution is able to be set in 200 dpi steps from “200 dpi” to “1200dpi”, and those that have previously been used as setting informationare illustrated in FIG. 10A.

The plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines, as display targets,candidates of a character string input by a user as a name related tosetting information (in this example, a file name). The display targetsdetermined in this manner are illustrated in FIG. 10B. In FIG. 10B, auser inputs characters “fi” in the display field D11 of “file name”, andcandidates of a character string starting from “fi”, that is,“File04.jpg”, “File03.bmp”, “File02.jpg”, and “File01.jpg” aredisplayed. These candidates of a character string are candidates ofsetting information and are display targets in this case. In this case,the plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines, as display targets,the file names starting from the characters input to the display fieldD11 by the user among the file names as input information in the exampleillustrated in FIG. 10A.

Also, the plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines the arrangementorder of plural candidates of setting information that are displayed inaccordance with a user operation. In the example illustrated in FIG.10B, four candidates of a file name are displayed in accordance with auser operation of inputting characters “fi”, and the candidates aredisplayed from the top to bottom such that “File04.jpg” is at the topand “File01.jpg” is at the bottom. In this case, the plug-indisplay/selection unit 103 determines the arrangement order ofindividual display targets so that the arrangement order corresponds tothe chronological order of time stamps (in this example, “File04.jpg” isat the top because the time stamp t31 corresponding thereto is thelatest and “File01.jpg” is at the bottom because the time stamp t36corresponding thereto is the oldest). Accordingly, the candidates ofsetting information displayed in accordance with a user operation aredisplayed in an arrangement order that varies according to each user.

The plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines, as a display target,a candidate to be displayed before the user makes a selection from amongcandidates of setting information. A display target determined in thismanner is illustrated in FIG. 10C. In FIG. 10C, “200 dpi” is displayedas a currently selected candidate of setting information of “readingresolution”. In this case, the plug-in display/selection unit 103determines the candidate of setting information having the latest timestamp, that is, the latest date and time of the last update (in thisexample, “200 dpi” corresponding to t31) as a display target to bedisplayed before the user makes a selection. If the determination of thedisplay target is made on the selection candidate image D3 illustratedin FIG. 6A (the image indicating whether or not each function is to beused), for example, the selection candidate image D3 is displayed in astate where the check box D31 selected last by the user is checked.Accordingly, the candidate of setting information that is displayedfirst corresponds to the setting information that has previously beenused.

Also, the plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines, as a displaytarget, the setting information that has previously been set for theuser. The display target determined in this manner is illustrated inFIG. 10D. In FIG. 10D, candidates of setting information “400 dpi”, “200dpi”, and “1200 dpi” are displayed in a pulldown menu of the readingresolution. These candidates have previously been used as settinginformation of the reading resolution, and candidates that have notpreviously been used “600 dpi”, “800 dpi”, and “1000 dpi” are notdisplayed. Accordingly, the time and effort to select a candidate ofsetting information that has previously been used is reduced compared toa case where the display target is not determined in the above-describedmanner.

The pulldown menu illustrated in FIG. 10D is an example of a history ofplural pieces of setting information that are displayed in accordancewith a user operation. The plug-in display/selection unit 103 determinesthe arrangement order of the pieces of setting information. In thisexample, the plug-in display/selection unit 103 determines thearrangement order of the history of setting information in accordancewith the frequency at which the setting information has previously beenset on the basis of selection frequency information in the settinginformation. In the example illustrated in FIG. 10D, the selectionfrequency of “400 dpi”, which has been selected three times, is thehighest, and the selection frequency decreases in the order of “200dpi”, which has been selected twice, and “1200 dpi”, which has beenselected once. Thus, the plug-in display/selection unit 103 determinesthis order as an arrangement order.

Next, a description will be given of the operation procedure of theindividual apparatuses to update setting information in the imageprocessing system 1.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of an outline of the operation procedureto update setting information. FIG. 11 illustrates a case where theimage processing apparatus 10A among the image processing apparatuses10A to 10C is operated by a user. In this example, the user logs in theimage processing apparatus 10A, and then the image processing apparatus10A performs authentication processing for login (step S10) and plug-indisplay processing for displaying available plug-ins (step S20).

Subsequently, when the user performs an operation of selecting aplug-in, the image processing apparatus 10A performs UI screen displayprocessing (step S30) for displaying a UI screen (the UI screens B1 andB2 illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B are examples) on the basis of settinginformation. Subsequently, the user operates the UI screen to perform anoperation for using a function implemented by the plug-in, and then theimage processing apparatus 10A performs setting information-relatedprocessing (step S40) for referring to and updating the settinginformation stored in the image processing apparatus 10A in accordancewith the user operation. For example, if the user provides an executioninstruction after changing the file name to “purchase of managementsoftware” on the screen illustrated in FIG. 6A, changed settinginformation is stored in the memory 302. For example, in FIG. 7A, theinformation described in the first row is stored. After that, when theuser performs an operation of finishing using the function, the imageprocessing apparatus 10A performs notification processing (step S50) fornotifying the other image processing apparatuses 10 that the settinginformation has been updated.

After the image processing apparatus 10A has transmitted an updatenotification to the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10C in thenotification processing, the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10Cperform determination processing (step S60) for determining whether ornot the setting information for which the update notification has beenprovided is to be updated in the image processing apparatuses 10B and10C. The determination processing will be described below with referenceto FIG. 13. In this example, it is assumed that the image processingapparatus 10B determines to update the setting information, whereas theimage processing apparatus 10C determines not to update the settinginformation. After determining to update the setting information, theimage processing apparatus 10B requests the setting information to theimage processing apparatus 10A, and the image processing apparatus 10Atransmits the requested setting information. Accordingly, updateprocessing (step S70) is performed in which the image processingapparatus 10B updates the setting information.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of the details of the operation procedureto update setting information. This operation procedure corresponds tothe details of the operation procedure illustrated in FIG. 11. In thisexample, the local UI unit 301, the authentication unit 102, the plug-indisplay/selection unit 103, the plug-in execution unit 104, the plug-inmanagement unit 105, the setting information obtaining unit 106, theupdate notification unit 108, the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107, and the license determination unit 109of the image processing apparatus 10A serve as an operation entity.Also, the setting information transmission/reception units 107, thesetting information obtaining units 106, and the plug-in managementunits 105 of the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10C and thelicense server 3 illustrated in FIG. 1 serve as an operation entity. Inthe example illustrated in FIG. 12, the setting information in the imageprocessing apparatuses 10B and 10C is updated. That is, the imageprocessing apparatus 10A operates as a first information processingapparatus, and the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10C operate assecond information processing apparatuses.

First, when a user performs, on the local UI unit 301 (for example, theoperation panel), a login operation of inputting a user ID and apassword (step S11), the above-described authentication processing (stepS10) is started. The local UI unit 301 supplies the input user ID andpassword to the authentication unit 102 and requests user authentication(step S12). The authentication unit 102 performs authenticationprocessing on the basis of the user ID and password supplied thereto(step S13), and notifies the local UI unit 301 of the authenticationresult (step S14).

Subsequently, the authentication unit 102 notifies the plug-inmanagement unit 105 of the authentication result and the user ID used inthe authentication (step S21), and accordingly the above-describedplug-in display processing (step S20) is started. The plug-in managementunit 105 instructs the license determination unit 109 to determinewhether or not the user identified by the user ID has a license (stepS22). The license determination unit 109 transmits the user ID to thelicense server 3 and requests a list of plug-in IDs identifying plug-insfor which the user identified by the user ID has a license (step S23).The license server 3 generates a requested list on the basis of the userID transmitted thereto and transmits the list to the licensedetermination unit 109 (step S24).

The license determination unit 109 supplies the received list to theplug-in management unit 105 (step S25), and the plug-in management unit105 determines whether or not the plug-ins identified by the individualplug-in IDs included in the list are available (step S26). The plug-inmanagement unit 105 determines that a plug-in installed in the imageprocessing apparatus 10A is available, and supplies the list of plug-inIDs in which the plug-in determined to be available is reflected to theplug-in display/selection unit 103 (step S27). When the plug-indisplay/selection unit 103 instructs the local UI unit 301 to displaythe supplied list (step S28), the local UI unit 301 displays the list.At this time, the plug-in display/selection unit 103 instructs the localUI unit 301 to gray out the plug-in ID of an unavailable plug-in so thatthe user is unable to select the plug-in.

Subsequently, when the user performs an operation of selecting one ofthe plug-ins from the list displayed on the local UI unit 301 (stepS31), the above-described UI screen display processing (step S30) isstarted. The local UI unit 301 supplies the plug-in ID of the selectedplug-in and the user ID to the plug-in display/selection unit 103 (stepS32). The plug-in display/selection unit 103 instructs the plug-inexecution unit 104 to execute the plug-in identified by the plug-in ID(step S33). Upon receiving the instruction, the plug-in execution unit104 requests setting information to the plug-in management unit 105(step S34). Upon receiving the request, the plug-in management unit 105determines whether or not the setting information set for the logged inuser is stored in the image processing apparatus 10A in relation to theplug-in to be executed (step S35). For example, in a case where the userhas selected “transfer a scan file”, the plug-in management unit 105determines whether or not the setting information illustrated in FIG. 7Ais stored.

In a case where the setting information is not stored, the plug-inmanagement unit 105 generates setting information that is predeterminedfor initial setting (step S36) in the exemplary embodiment. When theplug-in management unit 105 supplies the stored setting information orthe generated setting information to the plug-in execution unit 104(step S37), the plug-in execution unit 104 regards the supplied settinginformation as a candidate of setting information before the user makesa selection, and supplies the setting information to the plug-indisplay/selection unit 103 (step S38). The plug-in display/selectionunit 103 determines the above-described display targets and arrangementorder on the basis of the supplied setting information and instructs thelocal UI unit 301 to display the determined display targets in thedetermined arrangement order (step S39). The local UI unit 301 displaysthe display targets on the UI screen in accordance with the instruction.For example, in a case where the plug-in used by the user has a functionof storing a scanned document in the cloud, the screen illustrated inFIG. 6A is displayed.

Subsequently, when the user performs an operation for using the functionon the UI screen on the local UI unit 301 (step S41), theabove-described setting information-related processing (step S40) isstarted. For example, on the screen illustrated in FIG. 6A, when user Achanges “file name” to “purchase of management software” and thenprovides an execution instruction in the plug-in of transferring a scanfile, the local UI unit 301 provides, via the plug-in display/selectionunit 103 (step S42), an instruction based on the operation result to theplug-in execution unit 104 (step S43). The plug-in execution unit 104executes processing in accordance with the instruction and supplies thesetting information used at the time to the plug-in management unit 105(step S44). In accordance with the supplied setting information, theplug-in management unit 105 updates the existing setting information(stored in the image processing apparatus 10A) that is related to theplug-in for which processing has been performed and that is set for thelogged in user (step S45).

Subsequently, when the user performs an operation of finishing using thefunction, for example, when the user presses a “menu” button to returnto the screen for selecting a plug-in (step S51), the above-describednotification processing (step S50) is started. The local UI unit 301notifies the plug-in display/selection unit 103 that the finishingoperation has been performed (step S52), and the plug-indisplay/selection unit 103 instructs the plug-in execution unit 104 tofinish execution of the plug-in (step S53). The plug-in execution unit104 finishes execution of the plug-in and notifies the plug-inmanagement unit 105 of that fact (step S54).

Upon receiving the notification, the plug-in management unit 105obtains, in the exemplary embodiment, the plug-in ID, the user ID, andthe date and time of the last update illustrated in FIG. 9 among thepieces of information stored in the header of the stored settinginformation (step S55). The plug-in management unit 105 multicasts, viathe update notification unit 108 (step S56), the obtained information asupdate notification data indicating that the setting information hasbeen updated to the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10C (step S57).The update notification data is data including the above-describedfunction identification information (plug-in ID) and user identificationinformation (user ID) transmitted by the update notification unit 108.In the above-described example, the user ID of user A and the plug-in IDof the plug-in of transferring a scan file (P001) are transmitted.

Subsequently, when the setting information transmission/reception units107 of the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10C receive the updatenotification data transmitted from the image processing apparatus 10A,the above-described determination processing (step S60) is started. Eachsetting information transmission/reception unit 107 supplies thereceived update notification data to the plug-in management unit 105 ofthe corresponding apparatus (step S61). The plug-in management unit 105determines whether or not the setting information associated with thesame plug-in ID and user ID as those represented by the updatenotification data is stored in the apparatus. If the setting informationis stored, the plug-in management unit 105 determines whether or not thedate and time of the last update represented by the update notificationdata is more recent than the date and time when the stored informationwas last updated (step S62). Normally, the date and time of the lastupdate represented by the update notification data is more recent, andthus the determination in step S62 is not necessarily performed.

Also, the plug-in management unit 105 inquires of the license server 3about whether or not the user corresponding to the user ID representedby the update notification data is licensed to use the plug-incorresponding to the function identification information (plug-in ID)represented by the update notification data in the apparatus, that is,in the second information processing apparatus (step S63). If theplug-in management unit 105 determines in step S62 that the date andtime of the last update represented by the update notification data ismore recent and determines in step S63 that the user is licensed to usethe plug-in, the plug-in management unit 105 instructs the settinginformation obtaining unit 106 to obtain the setting information (stepS64).

In the example illustrated in FIG. 7C, the image processing apparatus10B stores the plug-in ID P001 and the user ID of user A, and thus thedate and time of the last update obtained from the image processingapparatus 10A is compared with the date and time of the last updatestored in the image processing apparatus 10B. In a case where the dateand time of the last update of the setting information for user A of theplug-in of transferring a scan file illustrated in FIG. 7A is comparedwith the date and time of the last update illustrated in FIG. 7C, thedate and time of the last update of the setting information stored inthe image processing apparatus 10A illustrated in FIG. 7A is morerecent, and thus the plug-in management unit 105 of the image processingapparatus 10B provides an instruction to obtain the setting informationfrom the image processing apparatus 10A.

Upon receiving the instruction, the setting information obtaining unit106 transmits request data representing a request for the settinginformation to the image processing apparatus 10A (step S65). Therequest data includes a plug-in ID and a user ID that satisfy acondition that the plug-in is installed in the image processingapparatus 10B or 10C among the plug-ins represented by the updatenotification data transmitted from the image processing apparatus 10A,the setting information corresponding to the user ID represented by theupdate notification data is stored in the image processing apparatus10B, and the date and time of the last update is earlier in the imageprocessing apparatus 10B. Specifically, the request data includes theplug-in ID P001 of the plug-in of transferring a scan file and the userID of user A.

When the setting information transmission/reception unit 107 of theimage processing apparatus 10A receives the request data, theabove-described update processing (step S70) is started. First, thesetting information transmission/reception unit 107 instructs theplug-in management unit 105 to obtain the setting information requestedin accordance with the received request data (the setting informationassociated with the plug-in ID P001 and the user ID of user Arepresented by the request data) in step S71. The plug-in managementunit 105 obtains the setting information specified by the instruction(step S72) and supplies it to the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 (step S73).

Here, all the setting information for the scan file transfer plug-inregarding user A illustrated in FIG. 7A may be supplied, or a differencebetween the setting information regarding user A in the image processingapparatus 10A and the setting information regarding user A in the imageprocessing apparatus 10B may be supplied. In the case of supplying thedifference, the request data transmitted from the image processingapparatus 10B to the image processing apparatus 10A includes the dateand time of the last update of the setting information for the scan filetransfer plug-in for user A stored in the image processing apparatus10B. The image processing apparatus 10A transmits the settinginformation for the plug-in for user A that is stored after the date andtime of the last update obtained from the image processing apparatus10B.

The setting information transmission/reception unit 107 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10A transmits, to the image processing apparatus10B as a request source, setting information data in which the header ofthe supplied setting information includes the plug-in ID and user IDrepresented by the request data (step S74). The setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 of the image processing apparatus 10B asa request source receives the setting information data and supplies itto the plug-in management unit 105 of the image processing apparatus 10B(step S75). The plug-in management unit 105 updates the settinginformation stored in the image processing apparatus 10B in associationwith the plug-in ID and user ID represented by the supplied settinginformation data in accordance with the setting information representedby the setting information data (step S76). As a result, the settinginformation illustrated in FIG. 7C is changed to the setting informationillustrated in FIG. 7D, and the setting information in the imageprocessing apparatus 10A is reflected in the setting information in theimage processing apparatus 10B.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the operation procedure of the determinationprocessing (steps S61 to S65 in FIG. 12) and the update processing(steps S75 and S76 in FIG. 12). First, an image processing apparatus 10receives update notification data (step S601). The image processingapparatus 10 determines whether or not the plug-in corresponding to theplug-in ID represented by the received update notification data has beeninstalled in the image processing apparatus 10 (step S602). If the imageprocessing apparatus 10 determines that the plug-in has not beeninstalled (NO), the operation procedure ends. If the image processingapparatus 10 determines in step S602 that the plug-in has been installed(YES), the image processing apparatus 10 determines whether or not thesetting information corresponding to the same plug-in ID and user ID asthose represented by the received update notification data is stored inthe image processing apparatus 10 (step S603). If the image processingapparatus 10 determines that the setting information is not stored (NO),the operation procedure ends.

If the image processing apparatus 10 determines in step S603 that thesetting information is stored (YES), the image processing apparatus 10determines whether or not the date and time of the last updaterepresented by the update notification data is more recent than the dateand time of the last update of the setting information stored in theimage processing apparatus 10 (step S604). If the image processingapparatus 10 determines that the date and time of the last update is notmore recent (NO), the operation procedure ends. If the image processingapparatus 10 determines in step S604 that the date and time of the lastupdate is more recent (YES), the image processing apparatus 10 transmitsrequest data representing a request for setting information to thetransmission source of the update notification data (step S605).Subsequently, the image processing apparatus 10 receives settinginformation data transmitted from the transmission destination of therequest data (step S701) and updates the setting information stored inthe image processing apparatus 10 in accordance with the receivedsetting information (step S702).

In the exemplary embodiment, in a case where a user who has used theimage processing apparatus 10A uses the image processing apparatus 10B,the user uses the image processing apparatus 10B in a state wheresetting information in the image processing apparatus 10B (secondsetting information) has been updated with setting information used inthe image processing apparatus 10A (first setting information). In thisway, according to the exemplary embodiment, the setting information inthe previously used apparatus is taken over to the next apparatus, andthe same usability is obtained in the previous apparatus and the nextapparatus. A mechanism for taking over the setting information may beimplemented by providing a server apparatus that collects andaccumulates setting information. However, in the exemplary embodiment,processing for taking over setting information is performed between theimage processing apparatuses 10 that use the setting information, andthus a server apparatus for collecting and accumulating the settinginformation is not necessary.

2. Modification Example

The above-described exemplary embodiment is merely an example and may bemodified in the following manner. The above-described exemplaryembodiment and the following modification examples may be carried out incombination with one another if necessary.

2-1. Timing to Transmit Setting Information

In the above-described exemplary embodiment, the update notificationunit 108 of a first information processing apparatus (in the exemplaryembodiment, the image processing apparatus 10A) transmits functionidentification information and user identification information to asecond information processing apparatus (in the exemplary embodiment,the image processing apparatuses 10B and 10C) and then transmits settinginformation in response to a request from the second informationprocessing apparatus, but the exemplary embodiment is not limitedthereto. The update notification unit 108 may collectively transmit thefunction identification information, the user identificationinformation, and the setting information corresponding to these piecesof identification information and stored in the first informationprocessing apparatus (that is, first setting information) to the secondinformation processing apparatus.

In this case, upon receipt of the first setting information togetherwith the plug-in ID and user ID from the first information processingapparatus, in a case where the plug-in identified by the plug-in ID andsecond setting information which is setting information for the plug-inset for the user identified by the user ID are stored in the secondmemory, the plug-in management unit 105 of the second informationprocessing apparatus updates the second setting information inaccordance with the first setting information that has been transmittedas the setting information corresponding to these pieces ofidentification information.

In this modification example, the operation from steps S64 to S75illustrated in FIG. 12 for requesting setting information andtransmitting the setting information in response to the request isunnecessary. On the other hand, in a case where the first informationprocessing apparatus transmits setting information in response to arequest from the second information processing apparatus as in theexemplary embodiment, the setting information is not transmitted ifupdate of setting information is not necessary in the second informationprocessing apparatus.

As described above, the timing to transmit setting information variesbetween this modification example and the exemplary embodiment. However,this modification example and the exemplary embodiment are the same inthe following point. That is, when a plug-in ID and a user ID aretransmitted from the first information processing apparatus, in a casewhere the plug-in identified by the plug-in ID and second settinginformation which is setting information for the plug-in set for theuser identified by the user ID are stored in the second memory, theplug-in management unit 105 of the second information processingapparatus updates the second setting information in accordance with thefirst setting information (transmitted in response to a request from thesecond information processing apparatus in the exemplary embodiment,whereas transmitted together with the plug-in ID and user ID in thismodification example) that has been transmitted as setting informationcorresponding to the pieces of identification information (plug-in IDand user ID).

2-2. Finish Using Plug-in

In the exemplary embodiment, the update notification unit 108determines, when a screen for using a plug-in is switched to anotherscreen, that the user has finished using the plug-in. However, theexemplary embodiment is not limited thereto. The update notificationunit 108 may determine that the user has finished using the plug-in uponan operation of finishing the plug-in being performed by the user. Thisoperation completely finishes the plug-in (for example, the plug-in isdeleted from the RAM 12), whereas change of the screen does not alwaysindicate that the plug-in has been finished.

In a case where the image processing apparatus 10 and a plug-ininstalled therein are used by a user who has logged in as in theexemplary embodiment, the update notification unit 108 may determinethat the user has finished using the plug-in when the user has loggedout.

FIG. 14 illustrates an example of the details of an operation procedureaccording to this modification example. FIG. 14 illustrates, in a simplemanner, the operation procedure of step S10 (authentication processing),step S20 (plug-in display processing), step S30 (UI screen displayprocessing), and step S40 (setting information-related processing). Inthe example illustrated in FIG. 14, the operation is performed up tostep S54 illustrated in FIG. 12 (notification about end of execution ofa plug-in by the plug-in execution unit 104). In a case where pluralplug-ins are executed, steps S51 to S54 are repeated.

Subsequently, the user performs a logout operation on the local UI unit301 (step S81). The local UI unit 301 instructs the authentication unit102 to perform logout processing (step S82). The authentication unit 102performs logout processing in response to the instruction and notifiesthe plug-in management unit 105 that the logout processing has beencompleted (step S83). When the plug-in management unit 105 receives thenotification, step S55 illustrated in FIG. 12 (obtainment of headerinformation of setting information) and the subsequent steps areperformed and the setting information is updated. For example, in a casewhere the above-described plug-in (transfer a scan file) and plug-in(print from the cloud server) have been executed, the settinginformation for both the plug-ins stored in the memory 302 istransmitted at the logout timing.

According to this modification example, a plug-in ID and a user ID aretransmitted to a second information processing apparatus upon logout ofthe user. On the other hand, according to the exemplary embodiment, theplug-in ID and the user ID are transmitted to the second informationprocessing apparatus upon the screen being switched by the user. Ineither of the exemplary embodiment and this modification example, theplug-in ID and the user ID are transmitted to the second informationprocessing apparatus when the user finishes using the function of thefirst information processing apparatus.

2-3. Finish Using Plug-In

In the exemplary embodiment, the update notification unit 108 of a firstinformation processing apparatus definitely transmits a plug-in ID and auser ID to a second information processing apparatus when a userfinishes using a function of the first information processing apparatus,but the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto. The updatenotification unit 108 transmits the plug-in ID and the user ID to thesecond information processing apparatus, for example, in a case wheresetting information corresponding to the plug-in ID and user ID to betransmitted (the above-described first setting information) has beenupdated in the first information processing apparatus after thepreceding transmission of the plug-in ID and user ID.

Specifically, in the example illustrated in FIG. 7A, pieces of settinginformation respectively associated with the time stamps “3/1/20xx15:00”, “2/25/20xx 14:30”, and “2/10/20xx 10:30” are stored for theplug-in ID “P001” and the user ID “U001”. In a case where the settinginformation associated with the time stamp “2/25/20xx 14:30” is thesetting information at the preceding transmission and in a case wherethe setting information associated with the time stamp “3/1/20xx 15:00”is the same as the setting information associated with the time stamp“2/25/20xx 14:30”, the update notification unit 108 determines that thesetting information corresponding to this set has not been updated, anddoes not transmit the plug-in ID and user ID to the second informationprocessing apparatus even when the user finishes using the function.

2-4. Date and Time of Update of Plug-in

If the version of a plug-in is upgraded, the plug-in stored in an imageprocessing apparatus 10 is updated. Whether or not setting informationis to be requested may be determined on the basis of the date and timeof the update. In this modification example, the update notificationunit 108 transmits, when transmitting a plug-in ID and a user ID, thedate and time of update of the plug-in identified by the plug-in ID.

The setting information obtaining unit 106 of an image processingapparatus 10 requests setting information in a case where the function(plug-in) identified by the plug-in ID obtained in this manner is storedin the memory of the image processing apparatus 10 (second memory) andin a case where the obtained date and time of update is more recent thanthe date and time when the plug-in was updated. Thus, the settinginformation obtaining unit 106 does not request the setting informationon the image processing apparatus 10 that has a plug-in whose date andtime of update is before the date and time of update of the plug-in ofthe image processing apparatus 10. An old date and time of updatenormally means an old version. Thus, the setting information may also beold, which may be inappropriate for the image processing apparatus 10.

For example, there is a probability that the following situation willoccur. That is, although setting information is increased when theversion is upgraded (to maintain compatibility, it is rare to decreasesetting information in a new version), the second setting information isupdated in accordance with the first setting information that includesless setting information of an old version, and the increased settinginformation of the new version is deleted.

2-5. Whether or not to Update

In an image processing apparatus 10, even if setting information istransmitted thereto from another image processing apparatus 10, it maybe impossible to update setting information in the image processingapparatus 10, for example, in a case where the function for which thesetting information is set is not activated or in a case where the UIscreen of the function is operated by another user. Thus, the settinginformation obtaining unit 106 may request first setting information ina case where the state of the function for which the setting informationis to be requested is a state in which second setting information(setting information stored in the image processing apparatus 10) isable to be updated in accordance with the first setting information tobe requested.

In a case where the setting information is not updatable, a request forsetting information may be made after it becomes possible to update thesetting information. In a case where the setting information for which arequest is to be made is not updatable, the setting informationobtaining unit 106 notifies the plug-in execution unit 104 of that fact.In a case where second setting information is not updatable inaccordance with first setting information that is to be requested by thesetting information obtaining unit 106, the plug-in execution unit 104changes the state of the image processing apparatus 10 so that thesecond setting information becomes updatable.

In a case where the setting information is not updatable because thefunction is not activated, the plug-in execution unit 104 activates thefunction to make it possible to update the setting information. In acase where the setting information is not updatable because the UIscreen is operated by another user, the plug-in execution unit 104temporarily stops acceptance of an operation on the UI screen to make itpossible to update the setting information. At this time, a messageindicating that the setting information is being updated is displayed onthe UI screen. After changing the state, the plug-in execution unit 104notifies the setting information obtaining unit 106 of that fact. Thesetting information obtaining unit 106 requests setting informationafter the state has been changed by the plug-in execution unit 104 inthis manner. Accordingly, in a case where it is not possible to updatethe second setting information with the first setting information, thesetting information is updated at an early timing compared to a casewhere the state is not changed by the plug-in execution unit 104.

Setting information may be managed by the plug-in management unit 105indirectly or directly. In a case where the plug-in management unit 105indirectly manages setting information, each function holds (includes)setting information, and the plug-in management unit 105 provides aninstruction to update the setting information via the plug-in executionunit 104. On the other hand, in a case where the plug-in management unit105 directly manages setting information, the setting information isstored in the area of a corresponding function in the memory 302. In acase where each function includes setting information, it may beimpossible to update the setting information when the function is notactivated. In this case, in the image processing apparatus 10B (secondinformation processing apparatus), the plug-in management unit 105checks the state of the function for which the setting information is tobe updated before requesting setting information to the image processingapparatus 10A (first information processing apparatus). Specifically,the check is performed by the plug-in management unit 105 after step S62in FIG. 12 and before a request for the setting information is made.

As a result of the check, if there is an inactivated function amongfunctions for which setting information is to be updated, the plug-inmanagement unit 105 instructs the plug-in execution unit 104 to activatethe inactivated function. In response to the instruction, the plug-inthat implements the function for which the setting information is to beupdated is activated, and the function is activated. After the functionis activated, the setting information transmission/reception unit 107requests setting information to the image processing apparatus 10A inresponse to an instruction from the plug-in management unit 105. Theactivation state of the function may be checked in response to a requestfrom the image processing apparatus 10A (first information processingapparatus) after the image processing apparatus 10A has received arequest for obtaining setting information from the image processingapparatus 10B.

Specifically, in step S65 in FIG. 12, the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 of the image processing apparatus 10A(first information processing apparatus) receives a request for settinginformation from the image processing apparatus 10B (second informationprocessing apparatus). After receiving the request, the settinginformation transmission/reception unit 107 of the image processingapparatus 10A transmits a list of plug-in IDs to the image processingapparatus 10B and requests check of the state of the function for whichsetting information is to be updated, in response to an instruction fromthe plug-in management unit 105.

The setting information transmission/reception unit 107 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10B receives the request, and the plug-inmanagement unit 105 checks the activation state of the functionsdescribed in the list of plug-in IDs. As a result of the check, if thereis an inactivated function among functions for which setting informationis to be updated, the plug-in management unit 105 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10B requests the plug-in execution unit 104 toactivate the function. After the function for which setting informationis to be updated has been activated, the plug-in management unit 105requests again setting information to the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107. In a case where activation of thefunction is not able to be performed in the image processing apparatus10B, the memory 302 of the image processing apparatus 10B maytemporarily store the setting information received from the imageprocessing apparatus 10A, and may update the setting information afterthe function has been activated in the image processing apparatus 10B.

2-6. Determination of License

In the exemplary embodiment, the image processing apparatus 10 on theside of updating setting information, that is, a second informationprocessing apparatus, determines whether or not the second informationprocessing apparatus has a license to use the plug-in corresponding tothe setting information (step S63 in FIG. 12). Alternatively, thedetermination may be performed by a first information processingapparatus (the image processing apparatus 10 on the side of transmittingsetting information). In this case, the license determination unit 109of the first information processing apparatus determines whether or nota license is granted to use, in the second information processingapparatus to which a plug-in ID and a user ID are to be transmitted bythe update notification unit 108, the plug-in identified by the plug-inID. In this modification example, each image processing apparatus 10stores apparatus IDs of the other apparatuses, and the licensedetermination unit 109 makes an inquiry of the license server 3 aboutwhether or not a license is granted in another apparatus (a secondinformation processing apparatus in a case where the apparatus itself isa first information processing apparatus) by using the apparatus IDs,plug-in IDs, and user IDs. After determining the license, the licensedetermination unit 109 notifies the update notification unit 108 of theapparatus of the determination result.

The update notification unit 108 of the first information processingapparatus transmits the plug-in ID and user ID to the second informationprocessing apparatus that has been determined, by the licensedetermination unit 109 of the first information processing apparatus, tohave a license. Thus, the plug-in ID and user ID are not transmitted tothe second information processing apparatus that has been determined notto have a license. In this modification example, the load of processingfor determining whether or not a license is granted is concentrated onthe first information processing apparatus. On the other hand, if thesecond information processing apparatus determines whether or not alicense is granted, as in the exemplary embodiment, each secondinformation processing apparatus only has to perform determination onthe own apparatus, and therefore concentration of processing to acertain apparatus is prevented.

2-7. Version of Plug-In

At the time of receiving a notification about update of settinginformation and determining whether or not to request the settinginformation, the version of a program (in the exemplary embodiment, aplug-in) may be considered. In this modification example, the updatenotification unit 108 of the first information processing apparatustransmits a plug-in ID and a user ID and also transmits versioninformation of the plug-in that is identified by the plug-in ID and thatis installed in the first information processing apparatus. The settinginformation obtaining unit 106 of the second information processingapparatus requests setting information in a case where the versioninformation of the plug-in obtained from the first informationprocessing apparatus and version information of the plug-in installed inthe second information processing apparatus satisfy a predeterminedcondition.

In this modification example, the condition is satisfied in a case wherethe versions represented by both the pieces of version informationmatch. In this case, only in a case where an image processing apparatus10 receives a notification about update of setting information (firstsetting information) from another image processing apparatus 10 havingthe same plug-in version, the second setting information is updated inaccordance with the first setting information. Alternatively, forexample, it may be determined that the condition is satisfied in a casewhere the version of a plug-in represented by transmitted versioninformation is newer or older. Alternatively, it may be determined thatthe condition is satisfied in a case where a difference between theversion of a plug-in installed in the apparatus and the version of aplug-in installed in the other apparatus is within a predetermined range(for example, the number of times of major version upgrade is two).According to this modification example, the version of a plug-in that isinstalled in an apparatus storing setting information (first settinginformation) to be used to update setting information in the secondinformation processing apparatus (second setting information) isselected in accordance with a condition.

2-8. Upgrade of Plug-In

In the above-described modification example, setting information in anapparatus is not updated in a case where the version of a plug-ininstalled in the apparatus is old. In that case, the setting informationmay be updated after upgrading the plug-in. In this modificationexample, for example, the plug-in management unit 105 of an imageprocessing apparatus 10 upgrades a plug-in. When the update notificationunit 108 of a first information processing apparatus transmits a plug-inID, a user ID, and version information of a plug-in to a secondinformation processing apparatus as in the above-described modificationexample, the IDs and version information are supplied to the plug-inmanagement unit 105 of the second information processing apparatus.

The plug-in management unit 105 upgrades the plug-in in a case where theversion represented by the received version information of the plug-inis newer than the version of the plug-in installed in the secondinformation processing apparatus. At this time, the version may beupgraded to the version represented by the received version informationof the plug-in or to the latest version. The plug-in management unit 105downloads the plug-in of the corresponding version from a plug-in server5 illustrated in FIG. 15 and installs it in the second informationprocessing apparatus.

The plug-in server 5 stores plug-ins of various versions and transmits,in response to a request from an external apparatus, a plug-in of arequested version and data that is necessary to install the plug-in tothe request source. The plug-in management unit 105 performs upgradingby using the data received from the plug-in server 5 and updates settinginformation after the upgrading.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of the details of an operation procedureaccording to this modification example. FIG. 15 illustrates theoperation procedure of steps S10 to S40 in a simple manner. After stepS40, operation is performed up to step S54 illustrated in FIG. 12(notification about end of execution by the plug-in execution unit ofthe first information processing apparatus). Upon receipt of thisnotification, the plug-in management unit 105 obtains a plug-in ID, auser ID, the date and time of the last update, and version informationof the plug-in (step S91) and transmits update notification dataincluding them in the header to the image processing apparatuses 10B and10C (step S93) via the update notification unit 108 (step S92). Thesetting information transmission/reception unit 107 of each of the imageprocessing apparatuses 10B and 10C supplies the received updatenotification data to the plug-in management unit 105 of the apparatus(step S94).

The plug-in management unit 105 compares, if the setting informationassociated with the same plug-in ID and user ID as those represented bythe update notification data is stored in the apparatus, the versioninformation with the version information represented by the updatenotification data (step S95). If the version of the plug-in in theapparatus is older, the plug-in management unit 105 requests the plug-inserver 5 for data for upgrading the plug-in to the version representedby the update notification data (step S96). The plug-in server 5transmits the data for upgrading to the request source (step S97), andthe plug-in management unit 105 upgrades the plug-in by using thereceived data for upgrading (step S98). After the plug-in has beenupgraded by the plug-in management unit 105, step S64 (instruction toobtain setting information) and the subsequent steps are performed, sothat the setting information is updated.

FIG. 16 illustrates an example of an operation procedure of a secondinformation processing apparatus according to this modification example.The image processing apparatus 10 serving as the second informationprocessing apparatus first performs step S601 (receive updatenotification data) to step S604 (determine the date and time of the lastupdate) illustrated in FIG. 13. If it is determined that the date andtime of the last update is more recent than that stored in the imageprocessing apparatus 10 (YES in step S604), the image processingapparatus 10 determines whether or not the version of the plug-ininstalled in the image processing apparatus 10 is older than the versionrepresented by the update notification data (step S901).

If it is determined that the version of the plug-in installed in theimage processing apparatus 10 is older (YES in step S901), the imageprocessing apparatus 10 upgrades the plug-in (step S902). After theupgrading or if it is determined that the version of the plug-ininstalled in the image processing apparatus 10 is not older (NO in stepS901), the image processing apparatus 10 performs step S605 (transmitrequest data) and the subsequent steps illustrated in FIG. 13. If theversion of the plug-in is old, setting information in the plug-in of anew version is not used well in some cases. However, in thismodification example, the setting information is updated after theversion of the plug-in has been upgraded, and thus the settinginformation is updated to setting information suitable for the versionof the plug-in.

2-9. Specific Item

Some of pieces of setting information may cause inconvenience to theuser who uses a function if a specific item is not common. Examples ofthe specific item include a uniform resource locator (URL) for storing ascanned document. If second setting information is updated with firstsetting information including a different URL, different informationwill be presented when the user refers to the URL in the settinginformation after the update. If the information is not suitable forusing the function, it may be necessary for the user to input anoriginal URL.

In this modification example, in a case where a specific item in settinginformation (first setting information) obtained from a firstinformation processing apparatus in response to a request from thesetting information obtaining unit 106 is the same as a specific item insetting information (second setting information) that is stored in thememory 302 (second memory) of a second information processing apparatusand that is associated with the user and function corresponding to thefirst setting information, the plug-in management unit 105 of the secondinformation processing apparatus updates the second setting informationwith the first setting information. If the specific item is theabove-described URL and if the first setting information including a URLdifferent from the URL included in the second setting information istransmitted, the plug-in management unit 105 does not update the secondsetting information with the first setting information.

2-10. Limitation of Transmission Destination

In the exemplary embodiment, the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 and the update notification unit 108multicast update notification data and setting information data to theother image processing apparatuses 10 in the same sub-network serving assecond information processing apparatuses, but the exemplary embodimentis not limited thereto. The setting information transmission/receptionunit 107 and the update notification unit 108 may broadcast these piecesof data, or may transmit these pieces of data to second informationprocessing apparatuses belonging to a predetermined group among pluralsecond information processing apparatuses. Examples of the predeterminedgroup include a group of image processing apparatuses 10 that areinstalled in the same floor or building and a group of image processingapparatuses 10 owned by the same owner though the apparatuses aredistant from one another. Alternatively, a group of image processingapparatuses 10 connected to the same license server or plug-in server,or a group of image processing apparatuses 10 that are frequently usedby users (determined for each user) may be used. Alternatively, a groupconstituted by registering addresses of image processing apparatuses inadvance may be used. In this modification example, setting informationis taken over through update among apparatuses belonging to the samegroup. The group may be freely determined.

2-11. Initial Setting

In the exemplary embodiment, in a case where a plug-in is executed forthe first time and setting information is not stored in the memory 302,setting information that is predetermined for initial setting isgenerated and used, but the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto,and setting information for another apparatus may be used. Hereinafter,a description will be given of a case where a plug-in is executed forthe first time in the image processing apparatus 10B, which is anexample of a second information processing apparatus.

In a case where an instruction to activate a function is provided from auser and in a case where setting information that is set for the user inrelation to the function is not stored in the memory 302 (second memory)of the image processing apparatus 10B (a second information processingapparatus in this example), the setting information obtaining unit 106of the image processing apparatus 10B makes an inquiry of a firstinformation processing apparatus about whether or not the settinginformation is stored and about the date and time of update. The settinginformation obtaining unit 106 transmits inquiry data representing theinquiry to the first information processing apparatus.

The inquiry data transmitted by the setting information obtaining unit106 is supplied to the setting information transmission/reception unit107 of the first information processing apparatus (for example, theimage processing apparatus 10A). The setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 transmits, in a case where the settinginformation obtaining unit 106 of the second information processingapparatus makes an inquiry of the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 about whether or not setting informationis stored and about the date and time of update of the settinginformation and in a case where the setting information is stored in thememory 302 (first memory) of the image processing apparatus 10A, thedate and time of update of the setting information to the secondinformation processing apparatus as the inquiry source. The date andtime of update transmitted by the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 is supplied to the setting informationobtaining unit 106 of the second information processing apparatus.

The setting information obtaining unit 106 requests the settinginformation to an apparatus that has transmitted the latest date andtime of update among dates and times of update obtained in response tothe inquiry. For example, in a case where dates and times of update t41,t42 (date and time after t41), and t43 (date and time after t42) aretransmitted from three image processing apparatuses 10, the settinginformation obtaining unit 106 requests setting information to the imageprocessing apparatus 10 that has transmitted the latest date and time ofupdate t43. The setting information transmission/reception unit 107 ofthe image processing apparatus 10 transmits the setting information tothe apparatus as the request source in response to the request for thesetting information.

The setting information transmitted from the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 is supplied to the memory 302 (secondmemory) of the second information processing apparatus. The memory 302stores the setting information obtained from the first informationprocessing apparatus in response to the request from the settinginformation obtaining unit 106. The setting information stored in thismanner is initial setting information related to the functionimplemented by a plug-in that is executed in the second informationprocessing apparatus for the first time. In this modification example,the latest setting information among pieces of setting informationstored in the other apparatuses is used as initial setting information.Thus, processing using the taken over setting information is performedalso in the function that is used by a user in the second informationprocessing apparatus.

FIG. 17 illustrates an example of the details of an operation procedureaccording to this modification example. In this example, a descriptionwill be given under the assumption that the image processing apparatus10A is an example of a second information processing apparatus, and theimage processing apparatuses 10B and 10C are examples of a firstinformation processing apparatus. FIG. 17 illustrates the operationprocedure of steps S10, S20, and S40 to S70 in a simple manner. Afterstep S20, operation is performed up to step S35 (determination ofsetting information) illustrated in FIG. 12. In a case where the settinginformation is not stored in the image processing apparatus 10A, theplug-in management unit 105 of the image processing apparatus 10Arequests, via the setting information obtaining unit 106 (step S101),the plug-in ID, user ID, and the date and time of the last updateillustrated in FIG. 9 among the pieces of information stored in theheader of the setting information (step S102).

Upon receipt of the request made in step S102, the setting informationtransmission/reception unit 107 of the image processing apparatus 10Bnotifies the plug-in management unit 105 of the image processingapparatus 10B of the request (step S103). The plug-in management unit105 obtains, from the header of setting information including the sameplug-in ID and user ID as those associated with the requestedinformation, the plug-in ID, the user ID, and the date and time of thelast update (step S104). The plug-in management unit 105 transmits, viathe setting information transmission/reception unit 107 (step S105), theobtained information to the image processing apparatus 10A (step S106).

Upon receipt of the information transmitted in step S106, the settinginformation obtaining unit 106 of the image processing apparatus 10Asupplies the information to the plug-in management unit 105 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10A (step S107). If steps S102 to S107 areperformed on plural image processing apparatuses 10, plural pieces ofinformation are supplied to the plug-in management unit 105. The plug-inmanagement unit 105 compares the pieces of information and determinesthe setting information whose header includes the latest date and timeof the last update as the setting information to be obtained (stepS108). The plug-in management unit 105 requests, to the image processingapparatus 10 that stores the determined setting information via thesetting information obtaining unit 106 (step S109), the settinginformation whose header includes the plug-in ID and user ID supplied instep S107 (step S110).

The setting information transmission/reception unit 107 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10 that has received the request transmitted instep S110 notifies the plug-in management unit 105 of the imageprocessing apparatus 10 of the request (step S111). The plug-inmanagement unit 105 obtains the requested setting information from thememory 302 of the image processing apparatus 10 (step S112) andtransmits, via the setting information transmission/reception unit 107(step S113), the obtained setting information to the image processingapparatus 10A (step S114). The setting information obtaining unit 106 ofthe image processing apparatus 10A receives the setting informationtransmitted in step S114 and supplies the setting information to theplug-in management unit 105 of the image processing apparatus 10A (stepS115). The plug-in management unit 105 stores the supplied settinginformation in the memory 302 of the image processing apparatus 10A(step S116). After that, operation is performed from step S37 (supply ofsetting information to the plug-in execution unit 104) illustrated inFIG. 12.

2-12. Determination of Display Target

The plug-in display/selection unit 103 of an image processing apparatus10 may consider the capacity of the memory 302 of the image processingapparatus 10 when determining a display target among candidates ofsetting information. For example, in a case where the data amount of adisplay target to be determined exceeds the capacity of the memory 302,the plug-in display/selection unit 103 narrows down the display targetso that the data amount of the display target becomes within thecapacity. In this case, the plug-in display/selection unit 103 adds dataamounts in the order of determining the arrangement order of displaytargets, and determines the candidates of setting information within thecapacity as the display target. The plug-in display/selection unit 103may narrow down the display target so that the data amount becomeswithin the predetermined percentage of the capacity of the memory 302.For example, in a case where an address book indicating a destination isset for each user and in a case where the number of received entries islarger than the number of entries that may be held in the apparatus, anentry over an upper limit value is not held.

2-13. Program Other than Plug-in

In the exemplary embodiment, a description has been given of a casewhere setting information for a plug-in is updated. Alternatively,setting information for a program other than a plug-in may be updated.The program for which setting information is updated may be, forexample, a program for expanding a function other than a plug-in (add-onor extension) or may be a program that is installed in advance at thetime of manufacturing, such as firmware. That is, any program may beused as long as setting information is set for each user in relation toa function implemented by the program.

2-14. License for Using Function

In the above-described exemplary embodiment and modification example, alicense is granted for a plug-in, and installation, upgrading, andtransmission and obtainment of version information are performed foreach plug-in, but the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto. Forexample, a license may be granted for a function implemented by aplug-in. Also, installation or upgrading may be performed for eachfunction implemented by the plug-in. Also, the version of a functionimplemented by a plug-in may be managed, and information representingthe managed version (version information of the function) may betransmitted or obtained.

2-15. Category of Invention

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be implemented byvarious information processing apparatuses such as an image processingapparatus, a user apparatus, a license server, and a plug-in server, andan information processing system including the information processingapparatuses. Also, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention maybe implemented by a non-transitory computer readable medium storing aninformation processing program causing a computer that controls theinformation processing apparatuses to function as the above-describedunits. The information processing program is provided in the form of arecording medium such as an optical disc storing the program, or isprovided through a communication line such as the Internet and isdownloaded and installed to a computer so as to be available therein.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modificationsand variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing system including afirst information processing apparatus and a second informationprocessing apparatus that are configured to use setting information, thesetting information being information that is stored for each user andthat designates a condition for executing a function, the firstinformation processing apparatus comprising: at least a first processorconfigured to execute a transmission unit configured to transmitinformation including at least function identification information anduser identification information to the second information processingapparatus, the function identification information identifying afunction for which first setting information, which is the settinginformation stored in the first information processing apparatus, isused, and the user identification information identifying a userassociated with the function identification information, and the secondinformation processing apparatus comprising: at least a second processorconfigured to execute: a request unit configured to make a request forthe first setting information to the first information processingapparatus in a case where second setting information is stored in thesecond information processing apparatus, the second setting informationcorresponding to the user identification information and being settinginformation for a function that is identified by function identificationinformation; and an update unit configured to update the second settinginformation in accordance with the first setting information that hasbeen transmitted from the first information processing apparatus inresponse to the request made by the request unit.
 2. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit isalso configured to transmit, when transmitting the information includingat least the function identification information and the useridentification information, a date and time of update of the settinginformation for the function identified by the function identificationinformation, and the request unit is configured to make the request in acase where the function identified by the function identificationinformation is stored in the second information processing apparatus andin a case where the date and time of update obtained from the firstinformation processing apparatus is more recent than a date and timewhen setting information for the function was previously updated.
 3. Theinformation processing system according to claim 1, wherein the requestunit is configured to check, before making the request, a state of afunction for which setting information is to be updated, and to make therequest for the first setting information in a case where the state ofthe function for which setting information is to be requested is a statewhere the setting information is able to be updated.
 4. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least the secondprocessor is further configured to execute: an execution unit configuredto execute the function and to change, in a case where the request unitchecks a state of the function for which setting information is to beupdated and in a case where the function is not activated or is not inan effective state, the state of the function so that the settinginformation is able to be updated, wherein the request unit isconfigured to make the request after the execution unit has changed thestate.
 5. The information processing system according to claim 1,wherein the at least the second processor is further configured toexecute: a determination unit configured to determine whether or not alicense has been granted to use, in the second information processingapparatus, the function identified by the function identificationinformation obtained from the first information processing apparatus,wherein the request unit is configured to make the request in a casewhere the determination unit determines that the license has beengranted.
 6. The information processing system according to claim 1,wherein the transmission unit is also configured to transmit, whentransmitting the information including at least the functionidentification information and the user identification information,version information of a function that implements the functionidentified by the function identification information and that isinstalled in the first information processing apparatus, and the requestunit is configured to make the request in a case where the versioninformation of the function obtained from the first informationprocessing apparatus and version information of the function installedin the second information processing apparatus satisfy a predeterminedcondition.
 7. The information processing system according to claim 6,wherein the update unit is configured to, in a case where a versionrepresented by the version information of the function obtained from thefirst information processing apparatus is newer than a version of thefunction installed in the second information processing apparatus,upgrade the function and update the setting information after theupgrading.
 8. The information processing system according to claim 1,wherein the transmission unit is configured to transmit informationincluding at least the function identification information, the useridentification information, and the first setting information to thesecond information processing apparatus.
 9. The information processingsystem according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is configuredto transmit, in response to a user finishing using the function,information including at least the function identification informationidentifying the function and the user identification informationidentifying the user.
 10. The information processing system according toclaim 9, wherein the transmission unit is configured to determine thatthe user has finished using the function in response to a screen forusing the function being switched to another screen.
 11. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit isconfigured to transmit, to the second information processing apparatus,the information including at least the function identificationinformation and the user identification information to be transmitted ina case where the first setting information corresponding to theinformation is updated in the first information processing apparatusafter a preceding transmission of the information.
 12. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, the second informationprocessing apparatus further comprising: a display controller configuredto, in response to a user for which the setting information is set usingthe function corresponding to the setting information on the basis ofthe setting information that has been updated by the update unit andstored in the second information processing apparatus, determine adisplay target among candidates of the setting information for thefunction or an arrangement order in which the candidates are displayedand cause a display to display the determined display target or causethe display to display the candidates in the determined arrangementorder, wherein the at least the second processor is further configuredto execute an execution unit configured to execute the functioncorresponding to the setting information by using a candidate selectedby the user from among the candidates of the setting information, andwherein the second information processing apparatus further comprises amemory configured to store the candidate used for processing by theexecution unit as the setting information.
 13. The informationprocessing system according to claim 12, wherein the display controlleris configured to determine a history of setting information that haspreviously been set for the user as the display target and determine thearrangement order of the history in accordance with a frequency at whichthe setting information has previously been set.
 14. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein the update unit has afunction of managing the setting information and is configured to updatethe setting information by using the function.
 15. The informationprocessing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least the secondprocessor is further configured to execute: an execution unit configuredto execute the function corresponding to the setting information byusing a candidate selected by the user from among candidates of thesetting information and to manage the setting information, wherein theupdate unit is configured to update the setting information byrequesting the execution unit to update the setting information.
 16. Theinformation processing system according to claim 1, wherein the updateunit is configured to update the second setting information with thefirst setting information in a case where the first setting informationand the second setting information have an identical specific item. 17.The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein thesecond information processing apparatus is one of a plurality of secondinformation processing apparatuses, and the transmission unit isconfigured to perform the transmission to one or more second informationprocessing apparatuses that belong to a predetermined group among theplurality of second information processing apparatuses.